Richard Berankis(Lithuania) Biography

Richard Berankis is the best tennis Lithuanian player of all time. He was also the youngest male player in the top 100.

Born on 21st June 1990 in Vilnius, Lithuania he started tennis when he was 2 years-old, He has had the same coach, Remigijus Balzekas, since he was 9.

He resides between Bradenton, Florida where he trains at the IMG Bollettieri Academy where the likes of Andre Agassi and Jim Courier trained, and his home in Lithuania.

When he started competing he played only in Futures and Challenger Tournaments but as a Junior he won the US Open singles in 2007.

He started 2008 by continuing to play in Futures and Challenger events but he soon began participating in ATP tournaments, but it was a disastrous year for the 18-year-old Lithuanian. He either failed to qualify or get beyond the first round of any of his ATP tournaments.

He picked up in 2009 when he played in the Lithuanian Davis Cup team and won both his matches against the Georgian team, but in the next round they lost to Slovenia and he played mostly Futures and Challengers for the rest of the year.

Berankis began to make his mark in 2010 when he reached the quarter final of the SAP Open before losing to World number 11 Fernando Verdasco.

He played in the Lithuanian team against Great Britain in Eastbourne and won his matches and he reached the 3rd round of the qualifying for the French Open but failed to make the main draw.

He did make the main draw at Wimbledon when he beat Santiago Ventura in the last round of qualifying and became the first Lithuanian ever to do so and he reached the 2nd round when he lost to Feliciano Lopez in four sets.

He also qualified for the 2010 US Open without dropping a set but lost in an epic 5 set match against Jurgen Melzer in the 2nd round.

He ended the year on a high note entering the Top 100 for the first time in his career reaching 85. In 2011 he won all his qualifying matched at the Brisbane International and reached the 2nd round of the main draw.

At the Australian Open it was the first time he did not have to qualify for the main draw and he beat Marinko Matosevic in the first round.

He was lucky to reach the 3rd round when his opponent former World number 3 David Nalbandian was forced to retire due to illness. Nalbandian said he could not see and he just felt empty, he called for the doctor who told him he must retire.

Berankis met World Number 7 David Ferrer in the third round but the 28-year-old Spaniard was too strong for him. His ranking has slipped this last month, but he is still ranked in the top 100 at Number 95.

Richard Berankis' nickname is Ryka and his surname means No Hands in his own language. Off court he likes spear fishing and playing pool.